Scotland 'ahead of the game' on renewables

Plans to make Scotland 50% reliant on renewable energy sources are ahead of schedule, new figures released by the Scottish Parliament today suggest.

Current targets are to meet half the country's electricity demand from renewables by 2020 with an interim target of 31% by 2011.

"The government has determined 26 energy applications since May 2007, including consenting to 20 renewables projects, totalling more than 1.5 gigawatts," said a spokesman for First Minister Alex Salmond.

"As a result, we are well ahead of schedule in meeting our renewables energy targets. The consented projects, as well as those already operating, represent some 35% of Scotland's electricity needs.

"We are ahead of our targets on clean, green energy, which is great news for Scotland's economy. And we are making a contribution to tackling global warming, which is great news for the environment."